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14:31 Tue, Dec 24 TGG.
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Chapter 32
Half an hour later, Gabriel finally showed up. Darren was quick to react, opening the door for him. “Mr. Harrington, how’s everything?”
“Get a doctor over. He’s hurt pretty bad, Gabriel instructed, then got into the car.
Darren shut the door and walked over to Ray, who was standing by the casino entrance, to discuss something
Once inside. Gabriel told the driver to take off. The car was eerily quiet, with Gabriel busy on his laptop, replying to emails.
Serena stayed silent, her mind replaying the conversation she’d overheard between Gabriel and Darren. It wasn’t until Gabriel closed his laptop that she finally spoke up, her voice tentative. “Um… did you just go to save Xander?”
Gabriel looked at her. “Worried about him?”
She hesitated for a moment before continuing. “He’s a really good person. We don’t even know each other, but he helped me. If he hadn’t told me what I needed to do, we might not have had a chance to meet again…
Serena paused, remembering how at first, she had refused to wear those revealing clothes, thinking she could somehow escape on her ownL
Yet he wasn’t interested in her long–winded explanation. He cur her off bluntly. “He’s dead.”
“Wh–What?”
“Anyone who can’t make it onto the auction block gets dealt with right away.”
The news hit her like a punch to the gut. Her head dropped, and she felt a heavy weight on her chest, like the air had suddenly thickened around her.
“Why did
you
think I could save him?” Gabriel’s tone was dismissive, but his eyes never left her
Serena met his gaze briefly before looking away, saying nothing
He tapped his fingers on his knee, then gave a cold laugh. “Serena, be honest with me. After I send you back home, you’re not going to go to the police and rat me out, are you?”
Her heart skipped a beat. “L… I wasn’t thinking about that.” She’d just escaped from that nightmare of a place–she couldn’t care less about anything else right now.
Just so we’re clear–you have no proof. Even if you did, I have the best lawyers in Pashew. You’d be spending a few years behind bars before you knew it. As he spoke, he placed his hand on the back of her neck, pulling her closeT.
“I never thought about that! You’re the one making up all these scenarios,” she couldn’t help but snap, her voice tinged with frustration. “If you’re so worried, that just means you feel guilty
Gabriel clearly didn’t expect her to snap back like that. He smirked. “Yeah, I guess I do feel guilty. After all, you have caught me twice already.”
He paused, then added with a mischievous glint, “But if you’re feeling too good, I could always talk to that old guy from the auction and sell you to him instead.”
Serena had never been threatened like this before. The moment he finished speaking, she shot him a pitiful look. “I won’t tell anyone. I swear…”
She really didn’t have time to think about all that now, for crying out loud. Besides, she hadn’t actually seen anything that could accuse Gabriel of any crime.
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Chapter 32
She reached for his hand, whispering, “Please don’t sell ine. I really won’t say a word”
Her words seat a strange thrill through Gabriel. The cruel jest hell been about to make melted away.
He leaned back slightly and smiled, but there was still that edge to his voice. “But if you’re staying with me, you’d better be worth something to me. What do you offer me?”
“You said you’d take me to meet someone, right? I’ll go with youll do anything you ask, Serena said earnestly, her gaze. sincere. Right now, the only safe place for her was with Gabriel.
“Anything?”
She nodded.
“Answer me this again, the question from a month ago.”
She remembered–every time he asked if she would be his lover, her answer was always “no”
“I will: Serena said, her voice soft, her eyes wide and full of unshed tears, making her look even more vulnerable.
“Kiss me.
then,”
She didn’t move.
Gabriel grabbed her chin, his expression dark. “Do I need to repeat myself?”
Before the words were fully out of his mouth, Serena leaned in and brushed her lips against his, pulling away right after to watch his reaction
Just that brief kiss was enough to make Gabriel’s breath catch. His gaze darkened, and something primal flickered in his eyes. “Forget meeting her,” he said, his voice low and rough.
Serena thought to herself, ‘I remember, back then, he called me over just for this, saying something about charity donations. Seems like this whole thing must be pretty important to him. And now…?
She found herself asking. “Why?”
His hand slid down her neck, and she felt her jacket shift on her shoulders. She instinctively reached up to steady it, calling out to him.
Gabriel responded with a lazy hum, his focus remained on her flushed face. His fingers, however, were anything but casual as they traced over her exposed skin.
Serena’s dress was already revealing enough, clinging to her body and emphasizing every curve. As his fingers brushed over her skin, she shivered, her grip on his wrist weak.
His fingers tightened, and the sudden pressure made her gasp. Mmm… Ga—”
Her voice was swallowed up by his searing kiss. Their lips tangled as his hands grew bolder, pressing her closer, the intensity building. Just as she was about to lose her breath, he finally pulled back.
The divider had been lifted earlier, and the air in the car was thick with their heated breaths. Gabriel leaned in again and -kissed her swollen lips lightly before withdrawing, his expression returning to its usual calm.
He adjusted her jacket, saying, “It’d be weird to meet her like this
Serena sat up straight, still feeling the lingering heat on her lips Who is she, exactly?”
“You don’t need to know,” he said, taking her hand and casually rubbing the ring on her finger. “You actually wore it.”
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Chapter 32
Serena ignored his teasing After a few moments of silence, she suddenly remembered something. “Um… Gabriel, can I borrow your phone for a second?”
“Let me guess,” Gabriel drawled with his usual cool tone. “You want to call Andrew and tell him I spent a million dollars to buy you, right?”
“I just disappeared like that; he’s probably worried about me. I just want to let him know I’m safe.”
He shut his eyes, clearly not on board with the idea.
Serena hesitated, then slowly extended her hand toward him, hooking her pinky finger with hts. Her voice was soft as she said “Gabriel…”
“Break up with him, Gabriel interrupted. He might have only needed her as a lover, but he wasn’t about to let her have any ties with another man
Im not with Andrew, Serena replied. She then explained to him the situation about borrowing money from Andrew and took off the ring.
“And with the problems with my brother’s doctor, I probably don’t need to borrow the 300,000 anymore. The new treatment plan was a scam. but Andrew had refused to believe her when she told him.
He took the ring from her, and when he saw the initials of their couple act is one thing, but tricking you into going back to Veni
“Please don’t say that,” Serena said, her tone thoughtful. “He did one who could lend me money.” She sighed, still a little nostalge
unes engraved inside, he let out a cold laugh. The fake Now that’s the real game.”
have to help me. Before all this happened, he was the only when she thought about Andrew.
Even if he’d only wanted to manipulate her into going back to Venia, she couldn’t bring herself to hate him.
Yet Gabriel’s expression darkened. “You didn’t get the 300,000 from him, but my million has already been spent because of
you.”
She quickly explained, I wasn’t trying to get out of paying. It’s just that Andrew is probably searching for me everywhere right now. I want him to stop worrying”
Gabriel pulled out his phone and tossed it to her, his expression cold as he saw her reaching for the ring. He grabbed it and sneered, “Swap
Serena gave up on getting the ring back and straightened up to dial Andrew’s number. “Andrew?”
“Serena?!” His voice was frantic, with the sound of wind in the background. “Where are you? I have been looking for you for the past two days.”
“I’m fine now. I’ll tell you everything that’s happened when we meet tomorrow,” she replied. It was too much to explain over the phone.
Andrew’s voice steadied. “Okay, send me your location. I’ll come get you tomorrow.”
After exchanging a few more words, Serena ended the call and handed the phone back to Gabriel.
He didn’t take it. Instead, he shot her a cold look. “You think you have the energy to see him tomorrow!
RA
